Drying apparatus for layers of fibrous materials



Oct. 3, 1933. F. BRYANT" v DRYING APPARATUS FOR LAYERS OF FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed May 16, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l lllllfllllllllllllllulillllnllll-l|| I lll-lll-l. ll'llnl -Inlnlll'llall 7722/672202" 7r L. an?

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DRYING APPARATUS FOR LAYERS OF FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed May 16, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W wm a 2027 72656 A/ZZ'M f/% F. L. BRYANT Oct. 3, 1933.

DRYING APPARATUS FOR LAYERS OF FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed May 16, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NM ll km.

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Patented Oct. 3, 1933 1,929,090

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRYING APPARATUS FOR LAYERS OF FIBROUS MATERIALS Frank L. Bryant, Chicago, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Cellufoam Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application May 16, 1930. Serial No. 452,902

8 Claims. (01. 34-12) This invention relates to drying apparatus for 11, and at its rear end in a similar flaring mouth layers of fibrous materials. 12.

The apparatus of the present invention is de- The material to be dried is fed rearwardly signed primarily for use in the drying of a conupon a continuous carrier 13, which is prefertinuous strip or layer of distended fluffy fibrous ably of a wire mesh or other foraminous mamaterial of the character more particularly set terial, the upper turn of which rests upon sup.- forth and described in Patent No. 1,740,280, isporting idle rollers 14 which extend throughout sued December 17, 1929. the length of the drying chamber and furnish This material is delivered in the form of a a support for the carrier and hold it against 10 continuous strip or layer which may be an inch sagging. more or less in thickness, and it is necessary, The endless carrier 13 passes around aforward in the treatment of this material, to carry it in roller 15 and a rear roller 16, the latter of which undisturbed condition through a drying room or is power driven by any suitable mechanism, and oven in order to ultimately deliver it in the dry the lower turn of the carrier passes over a for- 15 fluffy condition without being compressed or ward guide roller 17 and under a guide roller 18,

compacted, and also to make provision for the which arrangement is duplicated at the rear end elimination of the moisture and soluble chemiin the guide rollers 19 and 20.

cals which are employed to create minute cells Heat is supplied through ducts 21 and 22, which or bubbles within the mass in order to give it discharge heated air to the interior of the drier,

the distended condition. If these chemicals were and return ducts 23 and 24 are provided which permitted to dry upon the surface of the strip communicate with suitable fan mechanism, not

or layer they would cause discoloration, and in shown, for creating a suction of hot air through view of the fact that the material is intended the drier.

primarily for use for sanitary purposes, it is of As shown in Fig. 3, the ducts 21 and 22 are 25 utmost importance that provision be made to dedivided at their lower ends and embrace the dry- 0 liver it in a perfectly clean and unsoiled coning chamber on opposite sides thereof, and serve 11m to deliver the hot air through branch ducts 25 The strip of material as it enters the drying which open into the drying chamber at or near chamber contains considerable moisture, and it the level of the carrier.

30 is necessary to subject it to heat in order to com- The principal figures show an arrangement in pletely remove the moisture without disturbing its which the carrier which underlies the layer of distended condition. material co-operates withan upper endless band The present invention conforms to the above or belt 26 which is intended to overlie or rest requirements, and the general relation of the lightly upon the upper surface of the layer of 3 present apparatus to the remaining mechanism material without, however, subjecting it to any dealing with the complete method of handling appreciable pressure which might tend to crush and drying said material is fully set forth in down or compact the distended fibres. copending application, Serial No. 452,900 filed The endless band or belt 26 passes around a May 16, 1930. forward roller 27 which lies immediately above In the drawings: the roller 15, and thence over a guide roller 28 Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic side and under a guide roller 29, and thence through elevation of the forward portion of the drying the ryi hamb r, asi d t d dia ammatichamber of the present invention; cally in Fig. 4, and at the rear end the rollers Fig. 2 is an extension of Fig. 1, and shows the are duplicated in the Toners 30 and 45 rear portion thereof. The arrangement shown carries the layer of F1 g 3 is a cross sectional elevation; and material between upper and lower bands or belts,

and in order to guard against the staining action of chemicals which in evaporating might stain the la er if de osited u on the surface, u er 50 nism for feeding the protective absorbent strips and'logler absorgent bands 32 and e intended to preserve the surface of the material provided, which may be variously arranged as against F dicated in the different figures.

Refellmg t0 Flgures 1 and 2, the drymg charm The absorbent strips may be of thin absorbent ber 10 is of elongated boxlike formation, which e or may be of f b i andif fabric is terminates at its forward end in a flaring mouth ployed it is desirable to provide means for wash- Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views showing modifications in the arrangement of the mechaing and returning the fabric for further service.

Where the fabric is employed, the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is preferred. In this case, the upper and lower bands 32 and 33 take the form of endless strips which are fed respectively under and over the belts. with which they co-operate. That is to say, the upper endless absorbent strip 32 passes onto the roller 28, at which point it encounters the endless strip or belt 26, and travels therewith around and under the roller 27 which brings the absorbent strip into contact with the upper surface of the layer of material undergoing drying.

Likewise, the absorbent strip 33 passes under the roller 18, at which point it encounters the carrier band or belt and overlies the surface thereof, so that the strip of material, during its progress through the drying oven, will lie between the upper and lower absorbent strips, so that moisture evaporating from the layer of material, together with chemicals in solution, will pass outwardly from the upper and lower surfaces of the layer of material and into the contacting absorbent strips which will thus act to carry moisture and chemicals to the surfaces of the absorbent strips, so that the ultimate evaporation thereof will not stain the surfaces of the material under drying treatment.

Where endless strips of absorbent fabric or the like are used for absorbent purposes, it will be necessary to provide tensioning means to take up any slack which may be developed in the strips or bands, and for this purpose a group of fixed rollers 34 are provided which co-operate with adjustable rollers 35 carried by a tension bar 36 which is adjustably mounted upon uprights 3'7, so that, by shifting the tension bar 36, the rollers 35 can be adjusted as a group to increase or diminish the lengths of the turns taken in the endless strip, thereby regulating the tension and serving to take up any slack which may develop.

A similar arrangement is provided for the lower absorbent strip 33, which passes over fixed rollers 38 which co-operate with adjustable rollers 39 carried by a tension bar 40 adjustably mounted upon uprights 41 similar in all respects to those first described.

At the rear or delivery end of the drying chamber, the upper absorbent strip 32 passes under the roller 30 and is carried upwardly around a pair of rollers 42, and thence downwardly and under a roller 43 located in a bath tank 44 in which is a cleansing solution adapted to wash out the endless strip before it re-enters and passes through the drying chamber. The strip 32 passes under a roller 45, and thence out of the tank and over rollers 46, and finally under a roller 47, from which it runs forwardly into and through the drying chamber and under a similar roller 48 at its point of emergence from the forward end of the drying chamber.

This completes the circuit and delivers the absorbent strip in cleansed and dried condition to again subserve its absorbent function in contact with the layer of material entering the drying chamber.

The lower absorbent strip 33 is similarly conducted through a lower tank 49, from which it emerges and passes around a roller 50, and thence forwardly through the drying chamber, until it encounters the first of the group of rollers 38.

In cases where it is not deemed desirable to use endless absorbent bands or strips of fabric or the like, the strips 32 and 33 may assume the character shown in Fig. 4, in which case they are respectively wound up on spools or rollers 52 and 53, and after use may be replaced by other strips, and thereafter cleaned and dried in any suitable way.

Fig. 5 shows an arrangement in which the upper belt or band 26 is dispensed with, and in this case the absorbent strips may, if desired, be of paper which after use may be destroyed. In some cases, however, it may be desirable to surface the layer of fibrous material with a sheath or surface of paper, in which case a certain amount of adhesive liquid may be employed in the composition and the paper strips 32 and 33 permanently adhered thereto and delivered therewith.

Various other modifications in the arrangement may suggest themselves, but where the material is employed for sanitary purposes, it is in all cases desirable to protect the surface against the staining action of the chemicals employed in the composition of materials.

In use, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the layer of material A is fed continuously onto the endless carrier 13, which furnishes .the support required for maintaining the layer in a level undisturbed condition during its course of travel through the drier. The layer of material, instead of lying .directly upon the carrier, rests upon the lower absorbent strip 33, which in Fig. 1 will be preferably of fabric, and will present itself in dried condition at the intake end of the apparatus.

The upper endless belt or band 26 affords a backing for the upper absorbent strip 32, which is held firmly but lightly against the surface of the distended fibrous layer of material A, so that on both sides of the layer a contact will be maintained sufficient to permit the moisture containing the solvent chemicals to absorb into and through the absorbent strips, thereby guarding the surface of the layer of material against staining.

The layer of material will be fed slowly and evenly and in undisturbed and non-compressed condition through the drier, and during this interval'the moisture will be completely extracted and the chemicals absorbed into the absorbent strips, so that the layer of fibrous distended material will be delivered at the far end of the apparatus in a dry, clean, coherent condition, uncompressed or uncompacted to any substantial degree, at which point the layer of material may be cut into lengths for subsequent use. Thereafter, the upper and lower absorbent strips will pass through the respective cleaning baths and be delivered therefrom into the rear end of the drier and fed forwardly at a suitable speed to permit the strips of fabric to become thoroughly dry before they again encounter the layer of fibrous material.

The apparatus of the invention is one which is peculiarly adapted to the requirements of the material forming the subject matter of Patent No- 1,740,280, and is designed to thoroughly dry such material in a continuous manner, but it is not the intention to limit the invention strictly to use in the treatment of such material, since it might be employed in the drying of layers of other material in which it is necessary to feed the material forward in a continuous layer without subjecting it to substantial pressure or disturbance.

I claim:

1. In drying apparatus of the character described, the combination of an elongated drying chamber, an endless carrier extending therethrough, and means for mounting and feeding of said endless band in parallel spaced relation said carrier from end to end thereof in the dryto the endless carrier, upper and lower endless ing of a layer of light, uncompacted fibrous-maabsorbent strips adapted respectively to overlie terial, and means associated with said carrier the endless carrier and underlie the endless upand movable conformably therewith, and adaptper band and to move respectively therewith in ed to feed a strip of absorbent material in concontact with the lower and upper surfaces of the tact with the layer of fibrous material to prevent layer of fibrous material to absorb moisture from discoloration of the latter, said means including the surfaces thereof, upper and lower bath tanks 9. bath tank through which the strip of absorbent and roller means for directing the endless abmaterial is carried to cleanse the same. sorbent strips through said bath tanks for cleans- 2. In drying apparatus of the character deing said strips and returning them through the scribed, the combination of an elongated drying drying chamber and in position to recontact with chamber, an endless carrier extending therethe fibrous layer entering the drying chamber,'

through, and means for mounting and feeding and means for tensioning said upper and lower said carrier from end to end thereof in the dry ing of a layer of light, uncompacted fibrous material, and upper and lower roller means associatabsorbent strips.

6. The method of drying a moist continuously advancing layer of uncompacted fibrous mateed with the carrier and movable conformably rial containing in the moisture of the layer chemtherewith, and adapted to feed upper and lower ical ingredients tending to cause surface discoloraendless strips of absorbent material in contact tion, which co sts in co i and lightly 0011- with the fibrous layer of material supported upon tacting th su fa f the ay w a continuthe carrier to absorb moisture from the surfaces advancing light thin Strip of o be t m8.- of said layer. terial adapted to permit the moisture from the 3. In drying apparatus of the character delayer to b Withdrawn y evaporation through scribed, the combination of an elongated drying the Strip and Without retentien t erein and to chamber, an endless carrier extending thereafford a surface for the deposition thereon of inthrough, and means for mounting and feeding gredients tending to cause surface discoloration of said carrier from end to end thereof in the drye y a in feeding the Strip and layer in ing f a layer f li ht, uncompacted fibrous a non-compressive and non-disturbing manner t i l, and upper and lower ll means through a heated zone to cause evaporation of the ciated with the carrier and movable conformably moisture through the Strip and dep tion of therewith, and adapted to feed upper and 1o r the discoloring ingredients on the surface thereendless strips of absorbent material in contact of, to prevent depesitien 0f the d o n inwith the fibrous layer of material supported upon gredients 0n e Surface t layer y the ethe carrier to absorb moisture from the surfaces moval of the o u e therefrom. of said layer, said roller means being associated The method of drying a moist ayer of unin each instance with a cleansing tank into which compacted fibrous a a o a i in the the endless absorbent strip is emersed for cleansmoisture of the layer chemical i edients tending and thereafter returned by said 11 means ing to cause surface discoloration, which consists through t drying chamber for drying in prepin covering and lightly contacting the surface of aration for renewed contact with the fibrous mathe layer W a light thin Strip of a orbent materiaL terial adapted to permit the moisture from the 4 In drying apparatus of t character layer to be withdrawn by evaporation through scribed, th combination of an elongated drying the strip and without retention therein and to chamber, an endless carrier, and means for su afford a surface for the deposition thereon of inporting and feeding aid endless carrier from gredients tending to cause discoloration Of the end to end through Said drying chamber in the layer, and in subjecting the strip and layer in a drying f layer 1' light, uncompacte'd' fibrous non-compressive and non-disturbing manner to t i l, an upper dl b and n heat to cause evaporation of the moisture through mountings therefor adapted to present the lower the Strip and deposition of the discoloring i editurn of said endless band in parallel spaced relaents 0n the Surface thereof, to P t deposition less absorbent strips adapted respectively to overthe layer by the removal of the moisture therelie the endless carrier and underlie the endless tromupper band, and to move respectively therewith The method of drylhg a moist layer of in Contact with the lower and upper surfaces of compacted fibrous material containing in the the layer of fibrous material to absorb moisture moisture of the layer chemical ingredients tendfrom the faces th reof upper and lower bath ing to cause surface discoloration, which consists tanks, and roller means for directing the endless in Covering and lightly contacting the Surface absorbent Strips through said t tanks for of the layer with a light thin strip of absorbent cleansing said strips and returning them through materiel dapted to permit the o u e fro the drying chamber and in position to recontact the layer to be withdrawn by evaporation through with the fibrous layer entering the drying chamthe p and Without retention ei a d t0 hen afford a surface for the deposition thereon of 140 In drying apparatus of th chara t r d ingredients tending to cause surface discoloration scribed, the combination of an elongated drying of e ay and in Causing evaporation of the chamber, an endless carrier and means for supmoisture t u the Strip and deposition Of the porting and feeding said endless carrier from end discoloring ingredients on the surface thereof, to end through said drying chamber, in the dryto prevent deposition of the discoloring ingrediing of a layer of light, uncompacted fibrous maents on the surface of the layer by the removal terial, an upper endless band and roller mountof the moisture therefrom. ings therefor adapted to present the lower turn FRANK L. BRYANT. 

